“If your iPhone is locked to a particular carrier, it can be truly frustrating,” Ashleigh Macro writes for PC Advisor.

“Some iPhones will only work with a SIM card provided to the carrier they’re locked to – O2, EE or Vodafone, for example,” Macro writes. “But there are other ways to unlock your iPhone so that you can use any SIM card.”

“Some iPhones are easier to unlock than others, depending on the carrier and the phone’s circumstances,” Macro writes. “Most iPhones purchased within the past year or two will actually be unlocked already, but if your iPhone is older, your mobile phone provider may be able to unlock the phone for free, or you might find that you’re able to unlock your iPhone yourself.”

“Unlocking your iPhone is completely legal if you purchased the device unsubsidised or have finished paying for your contract,” Macro writes. However, if you’re still paying for your contract, you technically don’t own the iPhone yet, so you really should check with your carrier before unlocking it.”

If you report it stolen then you can never release it from the Virgin Mobile network, even if you never miss a payment for years before and after finding your misplaced iPhone. Once the iPhone is blacklisted, Virgin Mobile has legal right to keep you stuck with them forever as long as you can’t afford another iPhone. Virgin Mobile is extremely uncooperative.

AT&T made it simple to unlock your phone, post contract. They have a web page dedicated to the task. As far as the snarky remark about them having a lock on “your property,” just be friendly and will do it for free. I never had trouble getting an iPhone unlocked, ever. I didn’t even have to call them to do it.